Freezing tray



May 9, 1933.

R. H. cHlLToN FREEZING TRAY Filed May 29.. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet I guana/wan ATTORNEYS May 9, 1933.

' R; H. CHILTON FREEZING TRAY Filed May 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINYNTOR- 'fi; ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED. STATES PATENT oFFicE RALPH H. CHILTON, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE INLAND EANUFACTUBING COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE mnazime TRAY Application filed Kay 29,

This invention relates to freezing trays adapted to be inserted by hand within the freezing compartment of domestic refrlgerators. a

An object of this invention is to provide various improvements in the freezing tray disclosed in application Serial Number 451,708, filed by Harvey D. Geyer on May 12, 1930.

A special object of this invention is to provide a non-metallic freezing container of the class described which'will permit more rapid heat transfer from its contents to the surrounding cold air and hence will provide more rapid freezing 'Another feature of the article of this invention is its economy of manufacture resulting from the fact that the molded flexible rubber container is molded Without any metal frame-Work molded in situ therein; the molded container is easily snapped upon its supporting frame-work or removed therefrom for easy cleaning or for replacement after a period of use.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the Y present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flexible rubber ice cube freezing tray which is adapted to be inserted as a sliding drawer into the freezing compartment of a refrigerator.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom View of Fig. 1.

Fig. dis a vertical section on line H of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The metal frame support for the flexible rubber container 10 is designated as a whole by numeral 11. This frame 11 comprises a substantially rigid metal wire rectangular frame made preferably from steel wire about inch in diameter and plated with tin, nickel, or chromium forresisting corro- 0 sion and for appearance sake. Frame 11 is 1930. Serial No. 457,077.

shown as having a separately made handle 12 and a closure front 13 attached thereto by means of the threaded shanks 14 of ham dle 12 extending through eyes 15 turned up in the rojecting end portions 16 of frame 11, an nuts 17 applied to the threaded shanks 14 to clamp the handle 12 and closure front 13 in place. Preferably the handle 12 and closure front 13 are integrally molded from flexible rubber upon the U- shaped metal insert 14, however, said handle and front may be of any other suitable construction.

Wire frame 11 has two longitudinally extending metal cross members 20, preferably steel Wire electrically welded to the end members of frame 11, as shown. This forms a substantially rigid grid support for the flexible non-metalllc container 10.

Container 10 is preferably molded in one piece from a -high grade flexible rubber to the form clearly illustrated in the drawings. In the form shown, it has three longitudinal rows 21 of ice pockets 22. The rows 21 are separated by the intervening longitudinally extending air-circulating spaces 25 which extend vertically substantially the full depth of the container (see- Fig. 4). Within each row 21 the individual ice pockets 22 are separated by cross partitions 26. Preferably these cross partitions 26 are solid only at their upper portions whereby to form a stiffening bridge across said rows 21 while at their lower portions partitions 26 are double-walled with an intervening slightly tapered air space 30 which permits cold air to circulate in between the individual pock ets 22 in each row 21 it will be seen that cold air may circulate freely around all four sides of the ice pockets 22 and thereby greatly increase the rapidity of freezing of the ice blocks contained therein. The cross partitions 26 being solid only a short distance below the normal water levelin the pockets 22, it will be clear that there will be only a very narrow area between adjacent ice blocksin a row 21 wherethere is no intervening air space. Preferably small holes" 31 are provided in the solid portions of partitions 26 (see Fig. 4). Thus just below the normal water level. By this means the water level in all the pockets in a single row 21 will be equalized and thus the proper filling of the container with 5 water wlll be greatly facilitated. By providing holes'31 instead of slots which extend through to the upper edge of partitions 26, the stiffening or bridging effect of partitions 26 is, fully retained. Holes are 1? referably cut or punched rather than cored m the rubber due to the difiiculty of coring such holes. Container 10 preferably is molded with a marginal overhanging flange having a groove 41 therein which is adapted to snap over and fit snugly upon the peripheral member of the metal frame 11, as clearly illustrated. This groove 41 may be readily cored in the flexible rubber since the flexim bility of the rubber will'permit the witha the form as illustrated an snapping the overhanging lips4O around the perlpheral wire of frame 11 so that said peripheral wire is seated snugly up in the groove 41. When container 10 is then filled I with water its periphery will be properly retained upon the peripheral wire against pullin out due to the weight of the water, and t e cross wires 20 will support the weight at the central portion of said container in an obvious manner.

When the water-filled container is set within the freezing compartment it is obvions that cold air may freely circulate around all sides of each ice pocket 22 and thus rapid freezing may be had compared with the ordinary form of ice tray with solid partition walls.

Removal of the frozen ice blocks is at-- tained simply by pressing u on the bottoms of the ice ockets 22 with t e fingers, or by' 't e frame 11 with the hands and pressing the bottom of the entire container down upon a flat table or other surface if it is desired to empty the entire contents. During such removal the overhanging lips 40 are retained upon the metal wlre 11 so that the container 10 may be turned partiall inside out.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes apreferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all comin within the scope of the claims which fol ow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A freezing tray adapted to be inserted grasping by hand within the freezing compartment of a domestic refrigerator comprising: a metal frame support and a one piece molded flexible rubber container having a marginal flange and. oove therein, said container bemg inserta le within said support and removably retained therein by a portion ofsaid frame fitting within said groove.

2. A freezing tray adapted to'be inserted byhand within the freezing compartment of a domestic refrigerator comprising: a metal frame support and a molded flexible rubber container having a plurality of rows of ice pockets, said rows. having air circulatmg passages therebetween open from the bottom thereof, and said metal frame having cross members fitting snugly within the tops of said air passages and forming a support for said rubber container.

3. A freezing tray adapted to be inserted by hand within the freezing compartment of a domestic refrigerator comprising: a metal grid support, and an elongated molded flexible rubber container having a plurality of longitudinally extendin rows of me pockets, said rows having air c1rculating passages therebetween open from the bottom, said metal grid having crossmembers fitting within said air passages and supporting the connecting walls between said rows of pockets.

4. A molded flexible rubber freezing container adapted to be inserted by hand within a freezing compartment of a domestic refrigerator comprising: a plurality of rows of ice pockets having relatively narrow air circulating passages therebetween open from the bottom of said container, said rows having transverse partitions solid at the upper portion of'their depth to a point below the water level, but having spaced double walls at the lower portion t ereof to provide air circulation space therebetween.

' In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

RALPH H. CHILTON. 

